Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2019

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 14, 2019Davie County, Iredell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 2019, 11:09 AM EDT for Davie County, Iredell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 22 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 14, 2019, 11:09 AM EDT (15:09 UTC)
Expired
Apr 14, 2019, 11:31 AM EDT
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Davie County, NC, Iredell County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:10 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 78 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2019-04-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 59 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2019-04-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 132 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
59 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-37 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
562 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
132 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
179 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

809 
WFUS52 KGSP 141509
TORGSP
NCC059-097-141545-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0004.190414T1509Z-190414T1545Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1109 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Davie County in the Piedmont of North Carolina...
  Northeastern Iredell County in the Piedmont of North Carolina...

* Until 1145 AM EDT.
    
* At 1109 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located 10 miles north of Statesville, or 4 miles west
  of Harmony, moving northeast at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Harmony around 1110 AM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this dangerous thunderstorm include
Sheffield, Union Grove, Turnersburg and Olin.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 8054 3581 8086 3593 8101 3606 8086
TIME...MOT...LOC 1509Z 226DEG 41KT 3594 8085 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

Carroll
2 follow-up statements
200 
WWUS52 KGSP 141519
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1119 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

NCC059-097-141545-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-190414T1545Z/
Davie NC-Iredell NC-
1119 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 AM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN DAVIE AND NORTHEASTERN IREDELL COUNTIES...
    
At 1119 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 8 miles southwest of Yadkinville, or near Lone Hickory,
moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northwestern Davie and northeastern Iredell Counties, including the
following locations... Union Grove and Olin.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 8054 3591 8078 3600 8093 3606 8086
TIME...MOT...LOC 1519Z 226DEG 41KT 3602 8075 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Carroll
413 
WWUS52 KGSP 141531
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1131 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

NCC059-097-141541-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-190414T1545Z/
Davie NC-Iredell NC-
1131 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN DAVIE AND NORTHEASTERN
IREDELL COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore the warning has been cancelled.

If you observed large hail or wind damage, please report it to the
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free,
1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet
it using hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and
the specific location where it occurred.

LAT...LON 3605 8054 3591 8078 3600 8093 3606 8086
TIME...MOT...LOC 1530Z 226DEG 41KT 3612 8063 

$$

Carroll

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 14, 11:05 AM EDT, 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 14, 11:05 AM EDT, 4 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1105 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
A strong system will bring more widespread storms to the area on
today and tonight, with severe weather possible. Dry weather
conditions will prevail through mid-week, with showers and
thunderstorms returning at the end of the week with an approaching
cold front.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 1100 AM EDT Sunday: Watching closely as instability creeps up
across the Piedmont, with SPC Mesoanalysis indicating 500J/kg SBCAPE
lifting into NC from the western Upstate, and stretching farther
into the NC Piedmont east of I-77. 1000J/kg line creeping into the
Upper Savannah Valley. RAP progs bring a sliver of >2000J/kg into
the Upstate and spread east through the afternoon, and 12z NAM
fairly similar. As mentioned below, shear is impressive, and even 0-
1km shear is pretty high, with RAP/NAM soundings showing a beautiful
curve on hodographs. Will have to see, however, if the RAP/NAM are
correct, as there is some concern that showers moving into the area
from TN/GA may work the environment over this morning (let's hope),
though HRRR still insists on cellular convection developing within
the larger area of showers/embedded thunder. And of course, all the
CAMs are now picking up on QLCS with embedded potential discrete
cells moving across with the actual front into this evening, though
it remains to be seen how well that will hold together across the
area.

Otherwise, potent upper low is moving into MO, with triple point low
surface low pressure across the lower OH Valley, and a cold front
trailing down the Miss Valley. A weak warm front extends through TN
into the southern Appalachians through our forecast area. Expansive
frontal band/warm conveyor belt region covers much of the TN Valley
and will continues to move gradually east through the morning. As
the upper low opens up and kicks out over the eastern Conus later
today into tonight, this area of precip will likely accelerate later
this morning, and is expected to reach the NC mtns by late morning.
Meanwhile, insolation combined with mid-level lapse rates of around
6.5 C/km will result in moderate destabilization across the Piedmont
and much of the foothills this afternoon. Meanwhile, shear will be
more than adequate for organized convection, with deep layer shear
improving to 50+ kts by late this morning, and 0-1km shear of 30-40
kts expected for much of the day. Thus, ingredients should be in
place for an organized severe weather threat.

However, evolution of the threat and mode of convection
remains a subject of some controversy. The NAM and some of its high
resolution relatives have displayed considerable run-to-run
consistency in dissipating the current frontal band across the
southern Appalachians later this morning, before blowing up new
convection within the immediate frontal zone later this morning into
the afternoon. This solution would focus an organized severe weather
threat, most likely in the form of a QLCS for our entire forecast
area from late afternoon through the evening. However, other
high-res guidance, including the HRRR maintain the current frontal
band through the forecast area, intensifying it and focusing the
primary severe threat within the moderately unstable air mass across
the Piedmont during mid/late afternoon.  In this scenario more than
ample effective storm relative helicity would suggest an embedded
mini-supercell threat (such as what is occurring across the MS and
TN Valleys attm). In either scenario, all modes of severe weather,
including isolated tornadoes would be in play. For what it's worth,
we are leaning toward the latter scenario, thinking that the
greatest threat will be across the Piedmont this afternoon. (In this
scenario, convection would also develop along the front proper
during the afternoon/evening, but the severe threat may be limited
with this activity due to instability being overturned by the
morning/afternoon convection. The threat for localized flash
flooding will also increase this afternoon, especially across the
mountains, where this morning's upslope showers is sort of "priming
the pump."

Drier and cooler air will quickly sweep through the area in the wake
of the front this evening, bringing an abrupt end to precip chances,
except along the TN border, where mechanical/upslope lift
associated  with a developing stout NW flow should allow at least
scattered showers to persist through much of the night. With
freezing levels expected to drop to near the ridge tops late
tonight, some light snow may be seen across the highest mountains
after midnight. Min temps are expected to end up in the neighborhood
of normal Monday morning.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
As of 200 AM EDT Sunday: After a weekend of showers and
thunderstorms across northeast GA and the western Carolina, a drying
trend is in store for the short term forecast period as sfc high
pressure builds in from the GOM. However, through early Monday
afternoon, lingering precipitation on the backside of the exiting
system is progged to linger along the TN border. With colder
temperatures infiltrating in behind the recently exited cold front,
precipitation falling may transition to a rain/snow mix, with
flurries/light snow showers possible at the higher elevations. Attm,
no snow accumulation is expected. Elsewhere, conditions will be dry.

A rain-free forecast is on tap for the entire FA on Tuesday with
plenty of sunshine. As sfc high pressure shifts off the Carolina
coast late Tuesday and into the overnight hours, weak upper ridging
across much of the CONUS will eastward and become amplified ahead of
the next approaching system coming out of the Rockies. With
temperatures below normal on Monday behind the recently passed cold
front, a warming trend is expected to begin on Tuesday with
temperatures around normal.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 255 AM EDT Sunday: The dry weather pattern to kick off the
extended forecast period on Wednesday will be short-lived, as latest
guidance continues to come into better agreement on the timing of
another approaching cold front towards end of the work week. Per
latest guidance, with sfc high pressure offshore, sfc low over the
central Plains will continue to strengthen as it very slowly
propagates northeastward towards the Upper Midwest through into
Friday. Aloft, southern stream trough will strengthen and deepen as
it shifts eastward, joining the northern wave energy and becoming an
upper closed low. Nearly expanding across most of the CONUS, the
center of this feature will eject into the upper Midwest into Friday
night, while at the sfc, the parent low's cold front will already be
in the process of pushing eastward through the FA in the morning
hours. Given how far out this feature is, there's still plenty of
time for temporal and spatial changes, but overall anticipate shower
and thunderstorm chances to return as early as Thursday. Ahead of
the front where the Southeast will once again be well in the warm
sector, it'' be another Spring-like system on tap for the last
weekend in April, with dewpoints nearing 60 degrees and high
temperatures on Thursday ranging from the mid 70s to near 80 degrees
south of the I-85 corridor and in and around the Charlotte Metro
area. Behind the exiting system, upper troughing will linger and
swing overhead Saturday and Saturday night, with lingering precip
along the TN border possible, where elsewhere, a drying trend will
be already occurring. Though temperatures will drop to below normal
behind the exiting front, do anticipate temperatures attm to remain
above freezing in the mountains, thus do not anticipate any mention
of snow attm.

&&

.AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: KAVL will continue to be the most showers
likely terminal to see showers this morning, although coverage of
showers should continue to expand to the Piedmont throughout the
morning. Otherwise, IFR/low MVFR cigs will continue through the
morning, with perhaps improvement to higher MVFR or low VFR by
mid/late afternoon.

An area of widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms is forecast
to sweep across the terminal forecast area from late morning through
mid/late afternoon, with categorical -SHRA VCTS and tempos for TSRA
warranted as early as 17Z at KAVL, and as late as 19/20Z at KCLT.
This area of showers and storms will be well ahead of the actual
cold front, and it's looking increasingly likely that a second round
of convection will follow along the front from late afternoon into
the evening. Since the intensity of this activity will depend upon
the intensity of the earlier activity (i.e., how much will the
atmosphere stabilize prior to the second round?), we have generally
handled this with categorical SHRA w/ VCTS and/or Prob30s. Variable
and very gusty winds will be possible with thunderstorms this
afternoon.

Gusty south winds (gusts as high as 30 kts) will develop in advance
of the band of showers later this morning, and continue through much
of the day. Variable and very gusty winds will be possible with
thunderstorms this afternoon. Winds will gradually veer and diminish
in the wake of the cold front, likely becoming W/NW by mid-morning
Monday.

Outlook: Drier westerly winds should help improve flight conditions
behind the front thru Monday morning. VFR conditions should return
early next week behind the cold front, and likely continue through
mid-week.

Confidence Table...

            15-21Z        21-03Z        03-09Z        09-12Z
KCLT       High  96%     High  85%     High  95%     High 100%
KGSP       High  98%     Med   77%     High 100%     High 100%
KAVL       High  87%     Med   73%     High 100%     Med   71%
KHKY       High  91%     Med   79%     High  98%     High 100%
KGMU       High  89%     High  87%     High 100%     High 100%
KAND       High  83%     High  83%     High 100%     High 100%

The percentage reflects the number of guidance members agreeing
with the scheduled TAF issuance flight rule category. Complete hourly
experimental aviation forecast consistency tables and ensemble forecasts
are available at the following link:

www.weather.gov/gsp/aviation

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...High Wind Warning until 10 PM EDT this evening for NCZ033-
     048>052-058-059-062>064.
SC...None.

&&

SYNOPSIS...SGL
NEAR TERM...JDL/TDP
SHORT TERM...SGL
LONG TERM...SGL
AVIATION...JDL
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 14, 6:10 AM EDT, 4 hours 59 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
610 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-065-068>072-082-
501>504-506>510-SCZ001>014-019-151015-
Rabun-Habersham-Stephens-Franklin-Hart-Elbert-Alexander-Iredell-
Davie-Catawba-Rowan-Henderson-Cleveland-Lincoln-Gaston-Mecklenburg-
Cabarrus-Union-Caldwell Mountains-Greater Caldwell-Burke Mountains-
Greater Burke-Eastern McDowell-Rutherford Mountains-
Greater Rutherford-Polk Mountains-Eastern Polk-Oconee Mountains-
Pickens Mountains-Greenville Mountains-Greater Oconee-
Greater Pickens-Greater Greenville-Spartanburg-Cherokee-York-
Anderson-Abbeville-Laurens-Chester-Greenwood-
610 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont
North Carolina, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected today. The primary threat
will be damaging winds, though large hail and isolated tornadoes
cannot be ruled out. Heavy rain may lead to isolated flash flooding,
especially in areas that experience multiple rounds of thunderstorms.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are requested to forward any reports of large hail,
damaging winds, tornadoes, or flash flooding to our office.

NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>064-505-151015-
Avery-Madison-Yancey-Mitchell-Swain-Haywood-Buncombe-Graham-
Northern Jackson-Macon-Southern Jackson-Transylvania-
McDowell Mountains-
610 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING ABOVE
3500 FEET...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   High Wind Warning.

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected today. The primary threat
will be damaging winds, though large hail and isolated tornadoes
cannot be ruled out. Heavy rain may lead to isolated flash flooding,
especially in areas that experience multiple rounds of thunderstorms.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

No hazardous weather is expected.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are requested to forward any reports of large hail,
damaging winds, tornadoes, or flash flooding to our office.

SGL

The office that day

Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 12:58 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPCabarrus3 hr
Apr 14, 2:58 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPTransylvania32 min
Apr 14, 4:27 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPCabarrus4 hr
Apr 14, 2:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania33 min
Apr 14, 2:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMcDowell, Polk, Rutherford47 min
Apr 14, 3:12 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford33 min
Apr 14, 3:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell, Cleveland, McDowell, Rutherford44 min
Apr 14, 3:33 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPBurke, McDowell, Rutherford27 min
Apr 14, 3:33 PM EDTWind AdvisoryGSPAlexander, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell and 22 more6 hr
Apr 14, 3:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCaldwell35 min
Apr 14, 4:03 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAlexander27 min
Apr 14, 4:20 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander, Caldwell13 min
Apr 14, 5:00 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPSwain30 min
Apr 14, 5:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPSwain31 min
Apr 14, 5:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion41 min
Apr 14, 5:50 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPTransylvania17 hr
Apr 14, 5:54 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHaywood36 min
Apr 14, 5:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPSwain33 min
Apr 14, 6:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMacon32 min
Apr 14, 6:15 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPMacon6 hr
Apr 14, 7:33 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPJackson5 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2019Every tornado warning in 2019Tornadoes in 2019

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.